Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too

Odds are good that when you search Google for someone to help you get into your home or car, results will include poorly trained subcontractors who will squeeze you for cash.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gladsdotter/fake-online-locksmiths-may-be-out-to-pick-your-pocket-too

The European country that wants to pay all of its citizens £1,700-a-month – whether they work or not

Switzerland is set to vote on a proposal that wants to pay everyone 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,700) a month regardless of whether people are working or not. If the plans go through, it will become the first country in the world to provide a basic unconditional monthly income, and they are already the first country to vote on the matter. 
Read more: http://snapzu.com/mtnrg/the-european-country-that-wants-to-pay-all-of-its-citizens-1700-a-month-whether-they-work-or-not

Japan is sinking in a sea of money

Author: Masanaga Kumakura, Komazawa University According to conventional economic theory, the monetisation of government debt is a recipe for fiscal profligacy and hyperinflation. It should be the last thing any credible central bank turns its hand to. But this is precisely what the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has been doing for the last three years.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/japan-is-sinking-in-a-sea-of-money

Why a bright idea for growing food in the city had to move . . . to the country

It’s the greenhouse that got away: An urban farming initiative that ended up becoming rural.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gladsdotter/why-a-bright-idea-for-growing-food-in-the-city-had-to-move-to-the-country

Pirate Party Risks Future to Protect Hyperlinks

Earlier this week it was revealed that the Czech Pirate Party is being prosecuted for running a pirate TV show site. The party faces 200,000 euros in damages and could even be dissolved as a legal entity, but according to the chief of the party's International Department, defending Internet hyperlinking is worth the risk.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/pirate-party-risks-future-to-protect-hyperlinks

Stanford Professor: T-Mobile is Clearly Violating Net Neutrality

"A core principle of net neutrality is that ISPs should not pick winners and losers online by favoring some applications over others," notes the study. "But that’s exactly what Binge On does.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/stanford-professor-t-mobile-is-clearly-violating-net-neutrality

What’s stupid this month: Xerox patents sharing documents online

Xerox gets a new toy, and it may be visiting a courthouse near you.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/whats-stupid-this-month-xerox-patents-sharing-documents-online

Meanwhile In Canada, A Real Estate Bargain Emerges. ($2.4 million CAD)

We’ve long known that Canada, like Sweden and Denmark, is sitting on a giant housing bubble. Indeed we took a close look at the issue back in March of last year and have revisited in on several occasions since.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/ppp/meanwhile-in-canada-a-real-estate-bargain-emerges-24-million-cad

When Even The Wall Street Journal Calls Out The USTR's Misleading Propaganda About The TPP...

Not too surprisingly, the Wall Street Journal has been a big booster of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement over the past year, repeatedly praising the deal and claiming it will save the world in all sorts of ways. Most of that is based on the faulty belief that the TPP is actually a "free trade" deal (it's actually the opposite)
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/when-even-the-wall-street-journal-calls-out-the-ustrs-misleading-propaganda-about-the-tpp

Xerox To Split Into 2 Companies: 1 For Documents, 1 For Processes

Xerox doesn't just make printers and copiers, it offers business services. Now, months after activist investor Carl Icahn announced a stake in Xerox, the operations will become independent firms.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/lostwonder/xerox-to-split-into-2-companies-1-for-documents-1-for-processes

Will those who led the financial system into crisis ever face charges?

On Bill Black’s quest. By Terry Carter.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/will-those-who-led-the-financial-system-into-crisis-ever-face-charges

Elizabeth Warren: One Way to Rebuild Our Institutions

For whom does the government work? Presidents decide. By Elizabeth Warren.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/elizabeth-warren-one-way-to-rebuild-our-institutions

Now is the time for Apple to enter the VR market, but it shouldn't go all in

Apple has long been rumored to have an interest in the virtual reality market, but the company itself has always remained quiet on the technology. That’s not an unusual strategy for Apple, though, as it often only makes very general, or even negative, comments about a technology until it is ready to announce its own foray into a market. During the company’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2016, however, CEO Tim Cook was asked...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/hiihii/now-is-the-time-for-apple-to-enter-the-vr-market-but-it-shouldnt-go-all-in

Begging for Life

Begging has been a feature of life for as long as there have been poor people with nothing, and more affluent people with money to give to them. It is certainly a common sight on the streets of towns and cities around the world today. Its practitioners - often ignored, sometimes despised and abused, occasionally helped - are frequently the target of official disapproval or legal restriction of some kind, and are moved on, out of view, out of mind.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/begging-for-life

US still lagging on broadband but FCC promises change is coming

Latest vote inches faster speeds and more competition closer
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/us-still-lagging-on-broadband-but-fcc-promises-change-is-coming

Paywalls Will Not Save Journalism – And Why That Should Matter To You

Paywalls won't save most legacy news organizations (what used to be called newspapers). Time's running out to find out what will.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/MichDe/paywalls-will-not-save-journalism-and-why-that-should-matter-to-you

Global stock markets surge after Japan's shock move to negative interest rates

Bank governor says he won’t hesitate to take more action as the stage is set for yet more quantitative easing. Follow the latest updates live
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/global-stock-markets-surge-after-japans-shock-move-to-negative-interest-rates

Still Uninsured? Buy A Health Plan This Week To Avoid A Tax Penalty

Millions are still uninsured, even as the Jan. 31 deadline to sign up for a plan under the Affordable Care Act approaches. No deadline extensions this year, federal health officials warn.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/rti9/still-uninsured-buy-a-health-plan-this-week-to-avoid-a-tax-penalty

The Internet reacts to Barbie's makeover

Twitter equally praised and criticized Mattel for its announcement that Barbie would now be available in different body types and skin colors.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/the-internet-reacts-to-barbies-makeover

Circuit City Set To Return This Spring

New York area retail vets Ronny Shmoel and Albert Liniado are betting that the third time will be a
Read more: http://snapzu.com/lostwonder/circuit-city-set-to-return-this-spring

Can't Buy A Ticket To That Concert You Want To See? Blame Bots

A report from New York's attorney general points to abusive practices in the market for live-event tickets on sites such as StubHub. Computer programs snap up seats faster than humans can.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/FivesandSevens/cant-buy-a-ticket-to-that-concert-you-want-to-see-blame-bots

With Growing Investments, China's Influence In Autos Is Expanding

For the first time on a mass scale, a car built in China will be on sale in the United States — the Buick Envision.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/jcscher/with-growing-investments-chinas-influence-in-autos-is-expanding

France set a new record for joblessness in 2015, with 3.59 million people actively looking for work, the labour ministry said Wednesday.

The figure jumps to 5.48 million when part-time workers looking for full-time jobs are included, also a new high, the ministry said. However, last year's 2.6 percent increase in job seekers was the smallest rise since 2010, it said. Unemployment among youths under 25 years of age decreased last year by four percent over 2014, while joblessness among the over 50s jumped 8.4 percent. Figures for the long-term unemployed worsened, with 2.47 million...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/sasky/france-set-a-new-record-for-joblessness-in-2015-with-359-million-people-actively-looking-for-work-the-labour-ministry-said-wednesday

The Jobs Most Likely to Be Taken Over by Robots In the Near Future

The World Economic Forum expects automation and robots will eliminate 5.1 million jobs within the next five years.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/the-jobs-most-likely-to-be-taken-over-by-robots-in-the-near-future

The world's first robot-run farm will harvest 30,000 heads of lettuce daily

It could represent the future of farming.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/the-worlds-first-robot-run-farm-will-harvest-30000-heads-of-lettuce-daily

Federal Trade Commission sues DeVry University for deceptive advertising

DeVry University, one of the nation’s largest for-profit colleges, mislead consumers about the employment and earnings of its graduates in numerous radio, television, online and print advertisements, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission. The government agency is accusing the school of deceiving consumers about the likelihood of finding a job, with claims that 90 percent of DeVry graduates seeking employment land jobs within six months of graduation.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Apolatia/federal-trade-commission-sues-devry-university-for-deceptive-advertising

Bernie Sanders says he'll block FDA's Robert Califf

The mounting opposition from Sanders and other senators could doom Califf's chances for a confirmation vote.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/bernie-sanders-says-hell-block-fdas-robert-califf

Ex-Disney IT workers sue after being asked to train their own H-1B replacements

Two former IT workers at Disney have sued, saying that Disney broke the law when it hired cheaper foreign replacements, then fired its current IT department. Disney IT employees were told they would be kept on for 90 days in order to train their replacements, who were H-1B visa holders, according to the complaints. The workers were told "if they did not stay and train they would not get a bonus and severance, which most employees reluctantly accepted."
Read more: http://snapzu.com/baron778/ex-disney-it-workers-sue-after-being-asked-to-train-their-own-h-1b-replacements

Netflix and Amazon are outbidding all the major movie studios at Sundance

This could be a paradigm shift in movie distribution.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/netflix-and-amazon-are-outbidding-all-the-major-movie-studios-at-sundance

Apple warns iPhone sales set to fall for first time

Apple reports the slowest growth in iPhone sales since the product's 2007 launch and warns sales will decline for the first time later this year.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/geoleo/apple-warns-iphone-sales-set-to-fall-for-first-time

How fighting for a prize knocks down its value

‘If many people have patience to queue for scarce (and underpriced) tickets, the value on offer will be consumed by the race to grab it’
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/how-fighting-for-a-prize-knocks-down-its-value

Idiotic Conservative Anti-Stimulus Talking Point Won’t Die

The other day, I pointed out that even leading conservative intellectuals who find themselves aghast at Trump, like Commentary editor John Podhoretz, still reside within a right-wing thought bubble, unaware of obvious facts that refute their preconceptions. National Review’s Jim Geraghty rises to Podhoretz’s defense, but serves only to underscore my point.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/spaceghoti/idiotic-conservative-anti-stimulus-talking-point-wont-die

Indiana Took $60 Million Hit After Passing Antigay Law

Last year's so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act severely damaged the state's convention and tourism business — and lawmakers are weighing passing an even more anti-LGBT measure this year.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/spaceghoti/indiana-took-60-million-hit-after-passing-antigay-law

Big Pharma’s worst nightmare

Jamie Love has spent years battling global drug companies, unshakable in his belief that even the world’s poorest people should have access to life-saving medicines. Is it time that our own government listened to him?
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/big-pharmas-worst-nightmare

Health insurer Centene missing data drives with client information

Health insurer Centene Corp said on Monday it is missing six hard drives containing the personal and health information of about 950,000 people.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/health-insurer-centene-missing-data-drives-with-client-information

How a Muslim-Jewish romance shaped one of India’s biggest pharma firms

Cipla's philosophy of delivering cheap drugs to the poor is driven by its founder's storied past.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/how-a-muslim-jewish-romance-shaped-one-of-indias-biggest-pharma-firms

A New Railway Rivals a Glamorous Past

Before Walt Disney came Henry Flagler, who made Florida a tourist hotspot by laying rails along the state’s east coast. Now, a new high-speed train is set to follow in his tracks.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/jcscher/a-new-railway-rivals-a-glamorous-past

Senators Whine About FCC's 25 Mbps Broadband Standard, Insist Nobody Needs That Much Bandwidth

Just about a year ago, the FCC voted to raise the base definition of broadband from 4 Mbps downstream, 1 Mbps upstream -- to 25 Mbps downstream, 3 Mbps upstream. This, of course, annoyed the nation's mega providers, since the higher standard...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/senators-whine-about-fccs-25-mbps-broadband-standard-insist-nobody-needs-that-much-bandwidth

The Old Shops

Photography in Hong Kong by Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/the-old-shops

What do you give executives who bankrupted a coal company and screwed over its retirees? Bonuses!

Here's a little story about corporate America. It's about how the capital class benefits, and workers get screwed, no matter the circumstances. It is depressing, if utterly typical. But it contains some zingy writing from a federal bureaucrat! And that's the sort of thing I like to celebrate. So read on.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/geoleo/what-do-you-give-executives-who-bankrupted-a-coal-company-and-screwed-over-its-retirees-bonuses

"My Little Pony" Sued For Using a Pirated Font

Typeface company Font Brothers has filed a lawsuit against Hasbro claiming that My Little Pony uses one of its fonts without permission. According to the complaint, Harbro refuses to pay the required licenses while it continues to use the font in its My Little Pony merchandise and products.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/my-little-pony-sued-for-using-a-pirated-font

R.I.P. Bitcoin, it’s time to move on

Not long ago, venture capitalists were talking about how Bitcoin was going to transform the global currency system and render governments powerless to police monetary transactions. Now the cryptocurrency is fighting for survival. The reality came to light on January 14, when its influential developer, Mike Hearn, declared Bitcoin a failure and disclosed that he had sold all of his Bitcoins. The price of Bitcoin fell 10% in a single day on the news, a sad result for those who...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/sauce/rip-bitcoin-its-time-to-move-on

How States Like Nevada Can Make Life Very Difficult for the Solar Industry

The federal government giveth, but the states can taketh away. That’s what Big Solar is finding out in Nevada
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/how-states-like-nevada-can-make-life-very-difficult-for-the-solar-industry

People Are Still Trying to Build a Space Elevator

Though key players have distanced themselves from the concept, a new film examines the continuing draw behind the sci-fi staple. By Michelle Z. Donahue.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/people-are-still-trying-to-build-a-space-elevator

The End Of The Big Venture Formula

Well, do I have the deal of the century for you! Investors – the smartest investors in the world – are throwing billions at it! The price can only go up! People are flocking from around the globe to get their share! Time is very limited, so you have to act now! It’s so exciting, I even forgot how to use normal punctuation!!! Then there’s the crash and suddenly, the exclamation points all seem to quietly melt back into the puddle of periods from which they came from.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/geoleo/the-end-of-the-big-ventureformula

Fleet of 20 Tall Ships to Race Across Great Lakes this Summer

At least 20 tall ships are scheduled to visit each of the Great Lakes this year; a fleet that includes a replica Viking longship and a 170-foot Spanish Galleon making their debut on America's freshwater seas.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/jcscher/fleet-of-20-tall-ships-to-race-across-great-lakes-this-summer

Norway's Biggest Bank Calls For Country To Stop Using Cash

The largest bank in Norway has called for the country to stop using cash, the Local reported Friday. This comes as the latest move in a country that has been leading the global charge toward electronic money in recent years, with several banks already not offering cash in their branch offices and some industries seeking to cut back on paper currency. DNB, the bank with the proposal, has said eliminating the use of cash would cut down on black market sales...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/timex/norways-biggest-bank-calls-for-country-to-stop-using-cash

Keep Calm and Carry On – the sinister message behind the slogan that seduced the nation

It is on posters, mugs, tea towels and in headlines. Harking back to a ‘blitz spirit’ and an age of public service, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ has become ubiquitous. How did a cosy, middle-class joke assume darker connotations? By Owen Hatherley.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/keep-calm-and-carry-on-the-sinister-message-behind-the-slogan-that-seduced-the-nation

Is it still possible to get away with a heist?

The Hatton Garden raid was meticulous in its planning, dazzling in its complexity – yet still the perpetrators were caught. In this interconnected age, has the Hollywood-style heist become a thing of the past? By Laurence Dodds.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/is-it-still-possible-to-get-away-with-a-heist

Government funds nearly two-thirds of U.S. health care costs: American Journal of Public Health study

Contrary to popular perceptions, taxpayers fund 64 percent of U.S. health care, more public dollars per capita than the citizens of other nations – including those with universal health programs.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/nanno/government-funds-nearly-two-thirds-of-us-health-care-costs-american-journal-of-public-health-study